Hiberna Somnium
by VioletVendetta363
Summary: *does not include the Hunger Games* Finnick is a young sailor who boards the Hiberna Somnium in search of adventures beyond his wildest dreams. But unbeknownst to him, each year the ship is haunted by a woman of the sea called Annie who sends one sailor into hiberna somnium until he can find an escape. But this time, Fin has his own ideas...
1. Chapter One: Finnick: Call of the Sea

**Hi everyone! I'd always wanted to write a story on Finnick and Annie after reading THG, so after I got an idea, I quickly got started. Sorry if the first chapter is so short, hopefully the second one makes up for it. I apologize if the two characters might be OOC, but I'm going to try my best to define their characters better in the later chapters. Happy reading! :)**

Chapter One: Finnick: Call of the Sea

No matter how often my mother told me of the constant dangers, deaths and uncertainty, I could never quite hide the fact that I loved the sea. Of course, I couldn't deny that the gentle, rolling waves that carried me to imaginary places as a child were the same violent, churning torrents of heavy water that sent many unlucky men to the darkest depths where they mysteriously perish without a trace, but, being the young foolish lad that I was, I didn't quite understand that yet. All I knew was that I loved the sea and the sea loved me as well.

When the heat and haze of a summer's afternoon got to me, the sea would playfully spray me with refreshing waves of saltwater and cool me down after a long day. When I felt alone in the cold, slow winter months, the sea waters would crash on to the shore mournfully, furiously, like it could feel my sorrow as well. I remember once, I had tried to kill myself after having a horrible fight with my father, and the minute I tried to jump off a cliff into the ocean, a sudden torrent of water hit me backwards, sending me back to the land. At first, I felt confused, frightened, at the dangerous powers of the sea. Then I felt grateful, for even when I had given up on myself, the sea had never given up on me.

But what I'd admired the most was the constant persistence, and surging determination; it didn't matter what season it was, or whether it was night or day, the sea was always alive, always stirring, never giving into the abiding temptations that continue year round, from the frigid winter's breath to the pleading silence of a warm summer's night. I wished I had that kind of strength, that passion that would drive me fearlessly towards my distant dreams. But compared to the sea, I'm just a dot, a mere pinprick of life among millions, while it was a vast, mysterious world full of wonder and secrets.

Most people see the sea as a monster of demonic hunger, mercilessly causing death to those who dared venture to forbidden waters, then bringing sorrow to those left behind. But I see past that. The sea called to me, in a way that couldn't be understood by anyone else, its distant cry, pleading, almost mournful, beautiful, yet oddly disturbing, like the song of the sirens, their dangerously hypnotic voices, forcing death upon those who heard them. It is beautiful, for there aren't many places that fill a child's mind with such fascination and curiosity.

And who knows?

The sea may be the only visible presence of beauty itself.

**I know, I know, that chapter was so short, but I'd run out of ideas after the last sentence, so I decided to leave it and move on. I'm planning to rewrite it to make it longer, later on, but I'm still debating with myself on whether that will be necessary. I hope you enjoy the first two chapters! :) **


	2. Chapter Two: Annie: Below the Waves

Chapter Two: Annie: Below the Waves

Most people only know of the evils of the ocean, the rough, crashing tides that drown several voyagers in their travels, the dangerous, hideous creatures hundreds of feet below and the simple fear of pure darkness at the bottom of the sea, of whom they call the depths of despair. If they would forget such worries, they'd realize, under the water, it's quite wonderful, so calm and peaceful, the sun's light shattered in small pieces, dancing above your head on the surface of the water, the gentle, silent flow of water all around you, the bright, fragile coral growing happy bunches and fish that swam in streams of rainbow colors. The way the seaweed swayed was like strands of hair slowly sent aloft by a warm summer's breeze and of course, the darkness was quite nice when you got used to it.

When I was a young girl I was so fond of the sea, I would never leave the water until the day grew dark. Then one horrible night, my parents forgot to call me back into the house and with one powerful surge, the sea took me as one of its own. I remember kicking furiously, and screaming, flailing my arms about at first, but then I realized that I would only sink faster, so I froze and tried to spread out my arms and legs as much as I could, so I would float, and stayed calm when saltwater would splash into my nose, only coughing quietly at times. Eventually I fell into a deep sleep and prayed silently that I wouldn't die.

When I awoke, I was surrounded by nothing but open water for miles upon miles. One sudden realization was clear; I would never find my way back home ever again. I decided to make use of this situation and dived down deep in the water to explore some caves, coral reefs and whatever excited me. It was a beautiful world under the sea, but for some reason, I found out I still missed my home, my family and my friends.

My father was a fisher, who was always out at sea, catching enormous fish, or just casting his net to find unusual things that could only be found there. When he got home, he would tell me of all his stories, how he had tried to catch a sturgeon, but it had violently escaped, almost taking his life, the strange music that he would always hear in the distance, and the beautiful woman he had once seen, sitting happily on a small cluster of large rock, voices softer than the salty breeze of summer, their bodies ending in fishtails and their hair made of the darkest seaweed, beckoning for him to come closer.

While he told me of his fantastical tales, Mother would be in the kitchen, cooking what Father had caught that day, and I could never forget the delicious aroma of her famous fish soup. Then after dinner, we would sit by the warm fireplace, while Mother sang with her sweet voice and Father played a happy tune on the fiddle. No matter what my father said, I believed Mother had the most beautiful voice in the world. I believed it was enough any creature of the sea to feel envious, for not only that, but she was very pretty as well. Father said I looked like her when she was young. That made me happy.

One thing, I did remember though, that wasn't about my parents or my friends of whom I will mention later on, was a certain boy that went by the name Finnick Odair.

I had been 11 years old, sitting quietly on a small dark rock near the sea shore, my chin placed on the space between my pale skinny knees and my thin arms wrapped around my legs when I saw a young boy not too far away, with wind-blown tousled bronze hair, and the most incredible sea-green eyes I had ever seen. He was watching the sea with such intensity, such interest, instead of gazing longingly at the ocean that sparkled in the sun's light, like I usually did; I became fascinated by him.

He would occasionally glance my way and I would hide my face behind my long thick, wavy dark hair that fell almost below my waist, my equally dark, murky green eyes peering secretively at him. He was very handsome for his age, and already starting to get a little muscular at his arms and chest, so I figured he must work with his father, hauling the heavy nets of fish, crabs, octopus and whatever else they'd caught. I grew envious. My father would never let me come with him on his fishing trips, saying the sea would take me into its greedy hands and never give me back. I would plead from dawn 'til dusk and Mother would refuse to make fish soup until I stopped making such a racket. I had no choice. Mother knew I could never say no to fish soup. Sometimes I hated how mothers always knew everything.

It would always be so quiet and boring without Father at home, for Mother only had so many stories to tell and songs to sing, so eventually I go into the sea so I could find my own stories to entertain us with. And I would also attempt at catching fish like my father. But it didn't turn out too well. After hours of continued failure, I finally caught a nice sea bass, but it bit its sharp little transparent teeth into my thumb and I screamed, tossing it toward the land and ran towards it, repeatedly stamping furiously on its head, until I could no longer recognize its face, and accidentally destroyed the rest of its body, too much for it to be food. Well, it deserved it. My thumb was bleeding pitifully from several tiny bite marks and one of its teeth even stuck in it like a splinter. Horrid fish. I never tried catching fish again.

That was what caused me worry when I was stuck in the middle of the sea. I can't catch fish without them wanting to bite a finger off, so what would I eat? But then I realized an even bigger problem. I'd have to eat raw sea food and that might just poison me anyway. Then I remembered my father teaching me of some types of edible seaweed. I was saved. Sort of. I hated vegetables. Oh, well. At least I won't die.

So that was how my life was like to now, being mostly a dreaded vegan, and occasionally eating raw fish just throw it up a while later, but the soft juicy flesh was worth it, even if I swallowed quite a bit of blood. I would explore caves, swim in and out of reefs, and no, I wouldn't ride on dolphins or orcas, sorry to disappoint you, because they always swam speedily away, too fast for me to catch up with them. And how would I hold my breath for such a long time? Well, it was quite hard at first, I could only hold it for around 30 seconds, but days passed and I eventually got used to it so much that I would only have to occasionally come up to the surface of the water. I believed the sea had become a part of me, for my tangled hair did seem to resemble dark seaweed and my dark eyes seemed to grow a bit lighter, so they didn't appear to look muddy.

Sometimes I would swim for very long periods of time and once, I actually reached a place where there were some rocks so I could rest, unlike, how I would have to always lie on my back to float on the water all the time (though the saltwater did make it easier to be buoyant). I had found some crayfish and happily ate some meat for once without throwing it up. I found string like seaweed strewn across some of the rocks and having a sudden flashback of some moments where I would silently sit next to the bronze-haired boy and watch him tie knots over and over again, while he paid me no mind, other than looking at me strangely a few times. I had gotten used to his stares enough for me to not hide behind my hair anymore.

I made a short, messy dress from knotting some patches of seaweed together, and no, it wasn't very pretty, but it was certainly better than being almost stark naked like I had for a few years (my 10 year old clothes won't fit me forever) Then I stayed at the rocky place for a couple of days until I saw a moving dot in the distance. It was coming closer and I soon realized it was a ship. Without and second thought I dived quickly into the water and swam as fast as I could towards.

When I'd come close enough, suddenly a net was bound around me and slowly, I was lifted up into the ship. I was dropped painfully on the deck and surrounding me were several young men, afraid, but fascinated by me. The captain was quite kind and offered me food and water of which I'd gladly accepted and I stayed for a bit until I realized I'd have to leave. I couldn't stay on the ship forever; somehow my body had gotten so used to the water, I couldn't cope without it. I thanked the captain and his crew and because they came across great fortune after finding me, each year I was allowed in their ship once, when they set out to look for me, in hopes of finding more treasure.

I was perfectly happy, with that but one captain was exceptionally cruel to me, wanting to catch me, tie me up and take me to his home. Angered by his secret intentions of making me his wife, I killed him with his own sword, one stormy night and that ship, _Hiberna Somnium_ became cursed forever. Whenever I would visit, once a year, all the crew fell fatally ill except for one and that person would go to _Hiberna Somnium_ with me, a strange, sometimes frightful place. They would stay there forever until they found escape. And they never did.

That's why I felt cheated. The captain had cruel intentions, but in the end _I_ got punished, by taking a man with me to this mysterious place, and then have him die, leaving me all alone, until the next year when I would try again to see if he could escape. Because you see, as long as the person can't find a way out, I am stuck in _Hiberna Somnium _until the year comes where I'm allowed to return to the sea in search of the ship. I want my freedom. But I can't have it, until someone, someone saves me.


	3. Chapter Three: Finnick: Hiberna Somnium

**Hi, everybody, so this is the update for chapter 3...I was reading through chapter 2 and realized there were a ton of flaws, so I think I might rewrite it some point...because some events sounded not believable and kind of dumb so yeah...Happy reading!**

Chapter Three: Finnick: _Hiberna Somnium_

"What's a young lad like you doing here so late at night?"

I jumped, the hair on the back of my neck standing up, and I turned, seeing an old, plump man with a red hooked nose and a yellowed beard, dressed in a long dark blue coat with shining gold buttons, tailored pants and large black leather boots.

He would've looked quite rich and of high rank, if his clothes weren't so tarnished; the coat sleeves were frayed at the edges; there were several cases of wear and tear on the coat itself, not to mention there were only two golden buttons where there needed to be five. His boots had strange dark green stains all over the foot area and he seemed to be getting too large for his pants, and once maroon, it was dirtied to almost black from many years of blood and oil stains. He was an old captain of some ship, it seemed.

"Uh, oh, um, nothing really, sir… Are you a captain...?"

He smiled, his weathered face stretched wide, revealing missing teeth, while the rest were yellow, and he even had a few metal teeth, and one gold. I didn't want to begin to imagine how he'd lost so many. His tongue was purple, if it could be called a tongue, never had I seen such a scary, crippled thing in someone's mouth.

"Yes, I am, I am Captain Weckner of _Hiberna Somnium_, my boy,"

"Well, um, I'm Fin. Is it interesting sailing across the seven seas? Is it as interesting as the tales say?"

Captain Weckner laughed boisterously, a cracking, painful sound coming from his throat. He peered at me with his pale blue eyes, shrunken small from all the wrinkled skin folding around them. His pupils were tiny, almost just pinpricks of black dots. It didn't appear that he had eyebrows…

"Well, we don't sail that far, mostly we just sail to the middle of the sea, stay there for a bit and then we travel on and on until we find treasure. Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't. If you're lucky you'd bring home some nice things for your family,"

"You mean I can come too?" I asked earnestly, green eyes shining bright.

All I had done when I was a child was swim around the shallow areas of the sea, always able to see my house, and sometimes, when Father returned from fishing, I'd help him carry the load, which was why I was quite built for a lad my age. It wasn't as exciting as you'd think. Father wouldn't go very far; I would always be able to see his tiny silhouette in the distance. He was a careful man, sometimes just too careful for him to be any fun at all.

"No, lad, I just meant that in, general terms…You know, my boy, you are quite young, maybe next year I'll consent-

"Sir, Captain Weckner, please! I worked with my father for several years while he went fishing, I'm sure I can be of some use…!"

I stood up and suddenly the Captain's gaze lowered from my face to my body. When he saw the muscles on my arms he seemed to want to change his mind.

"Hmmm, how old are you, lad?

"I just turned 17 last month,"

"Hmmm, not bad, you're quite fit, lad, got some muscles on those arms, don't ya?"

"I'm sure I can help with small things, like chores, serving the crew-

"No. You, my boy, will be one of my swordsmen, one of my guards. For you to just do chores all that hard earned muscle will go to waste. You will practice with the swordsmen I already have. Don't worry, they won't maim you, but trust me, you're bound to get hurt,"

"Are there any other options, sir, er, Captain Weckner?"

"Either that, or can cook for us, but be warned, if you try poisoning the crew, or me to get all the treasure, we will throw you out into the sea and we won't come back for you,"

"What about walking the-

"We don't do that stuff anymore. You really believe in that pirate crap? I swear, not even the _pirates_ do _that_ anymore, lad. It's a load of time we don't wanna waste. If we don't want you, we don't want you, that's it,"

"So tomorrow morning at five will be alright?"

"Yes, my boy, or else we sailors will sail without ya,"

With that, the captain slowly strolled back to the dark looming shape in the distance, of which I believed was a ship, while I happily thought about how I would finally sail the seas tomorrow. I felt so spirited that I'd finally be able to really _be_ with the one I'd looked up to the most; the sea.

Then I stopped for a second and thought harder. That captain only wanted me after he saw my body. I sighed quietly, a little annoyed because all everyone seemed to ever pay attention to was my outer looks. If I was a hungry, skinny lad, he wouldn't have thought twice about declining because all I'd ever be good for were chores and kitchen duty. I can't say I'm not used to it, but I feel like one of those people that just hope some miracle would happen even if the same disappointing result appeared over and over again. I just couldn't help being hopeful.

I slept late last night, unable to think about anything except getting on that ship and being able to experience the adventures of the sea like never before. It was going to be like rekindling an old friendship, starting a new one and creating lasting memories, all in one go. Maybe I might make new friends. Maybe I might make new enemies. It didn't matter to me. All I cared about was now I would live an adventure of a lifetime together with the good old sea. That was all I cared about.

I didn't tell my mother or father or brothers, but I left a note on the kitchen table, then realizing that was actually a good idea, considering the fact that Mother probably _wouldn't_ let me go if I asked her, so it'd be better that I leave now and have her beat me to a pulp _after_ I come home. At least I'd have went. Then the beating would be perfectly worth it. No point in getting an empty beating.

When I woke up, the day was still dark, as five in the morning was quite early, so I hurriedly threw on a nice clean shirt and trousers, brushed my teeth and washed my face. I stuffed in an extra pair of socks and underwear in my pockets, because I had a feeling that was going to be necessary and wore my most weathered shoes and coat, thinking it would be a waste to ruin shoes and a coat that were brand new, if we were bound to be hit by sudden storms.

Last but not least, I stuffed in a small golden pocket watch, of which told the time and date, but also held a family picture, taken a few years ago. I wanted to take a little bit of home with me. Then I realized I had to be careful. This was a present my father got me when I was fourteen, and it cost a fortune because it was pure gold, so if I lost it, there would be _two_ beatings instead of just one when I arrived back home.

I left quickly, without any second thoughts, in case I might convince myself to back out and give up on going on the ship. What was her name again? _Hiberna Somnium._ Hmmm…That sounded quite mysterious, like it had some story behind it. Oh, well. I'm pretty sure I'll hear of it after I get on.

The sky was still black as night when I came out, so I didn't get a good look at the ship; all I saw were the faint letters _Hiberna Somnium _on the side facing me, and that it was quite large, and strangely, the hull held no sculpture or statue of a mermaid or goddess like how I'd usually imagined, it was just plain empty.

When I went inside, I quickly held my nose, because the sharp smell of blood and fish innards mixed with saltwater, really hit me in the face quite hard. Dim lanterns were hung occasionally, so I had some idea where passages were going. I felt the walls as I took a left turn, and almost by fate I bumped into one of the guards. The minute I saw him I felt like cowering in fear. He was very tall and extremely muscular, tan skin, bald head, a big black moustache and a menacing glare from his beady little eyes. He growled rudely at me.

"Who are you, boy?

"I-I am, uh, Finnick, Finnick Odair. Um, the captain said I could be one of his swordsmen last night, so I, um, came to, uh, tell… him…?"

He looked disdainfully at me, but it appeared his expression lightened a tiny bit when he saw my arm and chest muscles. I felt like swearing and jumping for joy at the same time. Saved by my muscles again. Yet again I was judged by my looks.

"Follow me," He muttered gruffly, his moustache seeming to muffle his voice.

When I followed him, I took a head to toe examination and I fought to hide my laughter; although his muscles were quite impressive, he had an unsightly small head and tiny feet. His chest looked like it could fit three of his heads. Then again, he was probably sucking in air to make them look very big, so I shouldn't be so quick to judge.

We arrived at a well lit room, with the captain talking quietly and quickly with his ship mates, while constantly pointing at the map on the center of the table. He talked on for several minutes before he looked up, and nodded at me, waving a hand and muttered something to the guard man, of which he nodded and yanked me by the collar of my shirt to pull me along. I felt like a dog.

"Alright, buddy boy, from this moment on, we're gonna work ya until you can't stand on ya little feet,"

Pssh. As if _his_ feet weren't little…

He grabbed a sword and threw it at me, not even bothering to look at where he'd thrown it. I jumped back quickly, and it fell at my feet, clattering onto the ground. If I hadn't moved, it would've made a large cut on my stomach.

"Hey, watch it. I've never even started-

"On this ship, we don't care. You always gotta watch out or you'll get hurt. It sharpens your senses. Now fight me with that sword of yours,"

"What?! But you never even-

The guard struck with the tip of his sword and lightly tapped my chest.

"Ha. Got ya. I win,"

"But you never even taught me anything-

"I want to see how you fight by instinct. If I teach you a bunch of moves, then your brain will be worrying about what order you'd have to do them, which block for which strike, and all those technical things will make you forget what's most important; staying alive. It doesn't matter how good you are; as long as you make it out alive, who's to care?"

Man. I must say, he's got a pretty good mind for a tiny head. When I thought about it he had some point he wanted to see how I would naturally fight, so he could see my strengths and weaknesses more easily. All I'll worry about will be staying alive. Then I'll really be fighting.

This time when he struck, I was ready, narrowly blocking him with the edge of my sword, then striking, myself, grimacing when he blocked flawlessly, as if expecting that to happen. We continued to block and strike repeatedly until I finally got tired and struck my sword beneath his; pretending to strike at empty air, then suddenly flicking the flat side up a bit, which sent his sword flying into the air and falling inches away from my face. I quickly tapped the tip of my sword on his chest and declared my victory.

"That was pretty good for a beginner, but I must say, that was a very dangerous move. You should find a better way to get rid of my sword. If your head moved even slightly, it would've hit you and you would've gotten severely injured. But you took that risk to win, so I congratulate you anyway,"

I felt sudden pride beaming inside of me, thinking I had gotten my first victory so quick. Then realizing I should be overly confident, I took some breaths and calmed myself down. It's going to get harder from here.

"Now come on. We have to have breakfast,"

"What are we eating?" I asked curiously, thinking about the strange food that must be on ships.

"Ah, not much, maybe some water or rum, with a couple slices of bread and thin fish soup. Don't get excited about the fish soup; it's just water, salt and some fish bones for flavor, and if you're lucky you might just get small pieces of meat and skin in yours. Get used to it, lad. You'll be eating like this for months,"

"What if we catch lots of fish and other sea creatures?"

"Things might get a bit better. But don't your hopes up. Now come on, nothing's worse than someone eating your share of food,"

"Wait, what…?"

"Sometimes you don't even get to eat because you don't arrive early enough. Never be late for breakfast, lunch or supper, or else you must wait 'til the next meal, which is the worst if you miss supper cause you gotta sleep on an empty stomach. Oh, and don't even try to take food in the middle of the night. The cook will chop you up and throw your remains into the sea if they decide you aren't good enough for food,"

"Wait, sometimes we eat…our own kind…?"

"Life's tough buddy boy, don't be so surprised. So if one of our men mysteriously disappears, now you know what the good meat in your bowl is the next day, eh?"

"I don't think I can eat anymore…"

"Fine with me! More food for the crew is good news,"

"I-I was just being melodramatic! I didn't actually mean-

And so I continued desperately to try to take back what I had said while the guard grinned and shrugged, muttering happy thoughts the entire way.

**Yeah, so that was chapter three...Now the _real_ reason why I chose for Finnick to arrive at the ship in such and early time was so he wouldn't be able to describe the ship very well (because_ I_ am horrible at describing ships, so I can get away with a horrible description) and he never will until he goes back home (mwa ha ha ha ha), and hopefully by that time, I'll have learned proper ship vocabulary...Don't count on it...Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it and keep reading! :)**


	4. Chapter Four:Annie: Hiberna Somnium

**Sorry for such a late update...it took me a while to get ideas...I hope you like this chapter and continue reading! (^v^)**

Chapter Four: Annie: _Hiberna Somnium_

It's cold here in _Hiberna Somnium_. Winter never ends…and spring never begins…

I remember I used to hate spring; it would always be so muddy and soggy, I wouldn't be able to go outside, and there would always be thunderstorms so Mother and I would always worry if Father came home safely, and alive. I hated the uncertainty, the fear that something horrible might happen and I'd have absolutely no control in stopping it.

I would curl up in a corner in my dimly lighted room, and watch the raindrops slide off the window pane, pretending that it was a race; which rain drop would pass the window ledge first? I would also sometimes look at one raindrop, and see how strangely it would reflect everything like a tiny bulge of a distorted mirror. Everything looked so much bigger inside a raindrop. It was so curious…

On days where I wouldn't leave my room, Mom would lure me out with, yes, you guessed it; fish soup. When Father wasn't home, Mom would make it almost every day, to make it feel like he _was_ home, though both of us knew otherwise. And the fish would taste different, also. I'd had gotten so used to eating fish all the time, I could always tell how fresh the fish was, how many days ago it was caught. The soup always tasted strange because it was store-bought frozen fish, because while Father was gone, we didn't have enough money to get fresh fish at the market, since the money we earned were from the fish _he_ sold. Father always caught the best fish. That, I was sure of.

Sitting alone, curled up in a dark corner in _Hiberna Somnium_, brings back memories of my childhood school days. I was very pretty, even as a young child, so many of the girls in my grade were very envious. But I was very quiet, and shy, also, so I didn't have many friends and most of them lived far away. I always heard people whispering about my wild green eyes and unkempt dark hair, and the fact that I was always barefoot. Not only were people envious, but they were afraid. They thought I wasn't human.

It hurt, whenever people talked about me, when I could still hear them, and whenever I tried to make friends, they would either make an excuse that they had other things to do, or they would run away. I felt like a monster, even though no one particularly made _fun_ of how I looked. They were just scared, and fear caused misconceptions.

But the memory that stuck in my head the most; was that rainy, stormy day, in late March, when everyone in class were gathered in a circle around the teacher, Ms. Dunmore. She was a kind teacher, a good-hearted person, but she was a very careless person, and if she didn't watch what she said, sometimes she would unconsciously hurt other people. Sometimes it felt worse when someone was making a joke and it went too far without them knowing, rather than being mean on purpose. Sometimes I would rather prefer a person be cruel, than be ignorant.

That day, we were learning about how we could not be selfish, and that what we wanted was very different from what we needed. First, she asked us what we needed. That was easy enough, food, shelter, water, clothes and air. Someone said 'fish soup' and everyone laughed, but it was the good laugh, the kind that people make when they genuinely believe you were funny and they loved it.

But then, something happened. When she asked us what we wanted, she specifically chose me, because I never participated; I never answered her questions because I felt I would ridicule myself, one way or the other. She'd hit me with a high tide. I couldn't say nothing, or else I'd be laughed at, and, quite frankly, I was horrible at lying.

"The sea. I want the sea," I whispered in a tiny voice, almost to myself.

But everyone heard it. And they burst in to laughter. It was horrible; they thought I said it as some kind of joke, because we had just learned not to be selfish, and wanting the sea seemed to be worse than wanting a pearl necklace or even a dress spun of woven gold thread. It was a strange, unexpected answer. Even the teacher couldn't take me seriously.

I eyed Ms. Dunmore defiantly, my green eyes flashing in anger. It was _her_ fault, for being so stupidly ignorant, now that probably killed _all_ my chances of ever being friends with anybody, let alone _live_ with myself.

"I _hate_ you! I hate _everything_ about you…!" I screamed, tears streaming, like flooding rivers from my eyes.

Then I ran out of the classroom, through the roads, through forests, and out towards the bare cliffs near the sea. The sea was turbulent, waves crashing brutally against the dark rocks below. The sky was ablaze in white fire, from lightening that hid behind the clouds, so it looked like sudden flashes that were everywhere.

I sat by myself, on the edge, feet dangling dangerously, the salty spray of water occasionally spattering the tips of my toes.

I heard a rustle in the leaves behind me, and I turned, shocked that the bronze-haired boy had followed me, never losing sight of me until I stopped. His clothes were dirty and torn like mine, from getting caught on thorns and brambles and his knees were wet from tripping on the large, gnarly roots the trees formed, almost like a tiny maze. His hair was drenched and messy, his rusty golden hair darkened from the rain, his eyes shining, wild. For a moment, I thought he looked a little like me. There were cuts on his arms and face, from when the brush got too thick and branches and twigs had scratched and scraped. Yet he showed no signs of pain or regret. Instead, he looked relieved, relieved that he found me.

"Why did you follow me? Why did you go to so much trouble to get to me?" I asked, confused.

I had never noticed him while I was running, because he never called out, or maybe my mind was racing with too many jumbled thoughts for me to process any sound other than my pounding feet, and my heart that hammered in unison.

"I wanted to talk to you, after you had answered that question. But then you ran away, so I had no choice, but to chase after you. And I ran so hard because, well, _because_ it was you,"

"Why me?" I asked, because no one ever wanted to bother with me; they couldn't get past their envy or their fear.

"You're different than the other people,"

Immediately, I scowled, eyes filled with dark flames of hatred. It was almost instinct to feel angry whenever I was singled out from everyone else. I felt alone.

"No, I didn't mean it as an insult, please forgive me, I meant it as a compliment. I _like_ you because you are different,"

A long silence filled the air. Then I cast my eyes towards the horizon hidden in the battle between the sea and the sky, gazing into the distance.

"Is it selfish to want something I can never have…?" I asked, mostly to myself, a little to the sea.

The boy drew closer, sitting beside me, smiling sadly, and fingers lightly brushing against mine.

"It is only human to want things we can never have. That's why our greatest desires are almost never reached, never found. And sometimes, what we want most lies just under our noses and we never notice until it's too late,"

"But I can never have to sea…" I whispered sadly, my gaze forlorn.

"And neither can I. We share the same dream that we can never reach. I never did think that in my life I would find someone like you, in such short time,"

"You know, you're different from the others too. You're only eleven, and yet, you seem to know so much. You're not foolish and immature,"

He smiled, eyes glowing brightly.

"My mother was a very clever woman; that's how she found my father,"

"Is your father clever as well?"

"Not always quite as clever, but he was always very careful, cautious and even though he was talented at catching fish, he always played on the safe side, because in the end, he knew all we wanted was for him to come home,"

"I wish my father knew as well. He is always going on the dangerous tides to catch the largest fish, and he's always venturing into unknown waters, so we are always uncertain when he will return. But he always entertains us with such wonderful stories when he returns,"

Suddenly he got a longing look in his eyes.

"I wish my father had that kind of sense of adventure. He's always too careful that sometimes he's no fun. He doesn't bother doing _anything_ that has the slightest risk, so our lives aren't the most interesting,"

"Well, I think it's better _knowing_ your Father will come home, rather than spend that time pulling out your hair, praying to the heavens that the sea won't take him. In fact, I think _my_ hair is thinning because of him…" I interjected.

He laughed, good-naturedly and smiled warmly at me.

"I guess you're right, on that, but I'm curious. If you _could_ have the sea, what would you do?

My eyes widened, surprised, and because I thought no one bothered thinking about things that could never happen. Wasn't it just a waste of time? Wasn't there always something better to do, than just daydreaming, your head in the clouds, well, _waves_, in my case.

"I, I don't know, honestly…I've never thought about it, because I didn't think anyone would care enough to ask me…sorry, were you looking for an answer that would blow you away…?" I mumbled, cheeks reddening from embarrassment.

But he only smiled, brushing the stray strands of dark hair away from my face. I felt so warm under his smiles, like they were rays of sunshine. His finger lightly grazed the tip of my nose, and I felt a shudder on the inside.

"By far, I liked your answer the best out of everyone. You answered quite humanly, that's what I liked the most,"

"But then, everyone else's answer _wasn't_ human…does that mean they are better than me…? I asked suddenly.

His eyes squinted in confusion and he shook his head, looking at me, curiously.

"Don't be so defensive, Annie,"

I blushed hard, because only my father would call me by that name.

"Sorry. I, sometimes I make the wrong assumptions…"

"It's okay. What I'm trying to say, is that, their answers were human, too, but, in a bad way. You know; emotions and things that people see everything mess with what they really want. I mean, maybe you want that expensive dress now, but what you really want might not be able to be bought with money,"

"So…that means…?"

"They were lying. Those things weren't what they truly wanted," He said simply.

"How do you know?"

"It's not too hard to tell. Most things that can be bought with money are what people want, because they have a chance at getting it. They know that the things that can't be bought with money are much harder to get, and sometimes it isn't possible to get them, anyway,"

"Then why do we bother wanting what we cannot get?"

"We are dreamers, aren't we? We are only human, aren't we? Dreaming isn't a waste of time. The people who _have_ dreams are usually the ones who reach them, if they really, really want them,"

"But I can't have the sea even if I wanted to,"

"And the thought of not being able to get it, only makes you want it more, eh? I know, it's tough. But that's what makes us strong,"

Then as sudden as he came, he left, and disappeared into the woods. I don't think I ever did see him again. It made me quite sad, because he gave me a special feeling, a feeling that I wasn't alone, that I didn't have to be alone.

Then there beside me, he seemed to drop something; a small seashell, and a very beautiful one at that. It had the corkscrew swirls, and ridges on those swirls. It had a very strange color, probably from all the different oils and salts in the sea, for it had a bluish, greenish tinge at the edges, while a creamy white on the rest of it. It had a bright pink inside, lined in soft gold.

When I put it to my ear, not only did I hear the whoosh of the wild and the ebbing and flowing of the waves, I also heard mysterious, mesmerizing music, something I'd never heard before. The sea seemed to calm, and the clouds appeared to thin. The sun's light was penetrating the dark clouds, flashes of white gold streaming all around. In an instant the sky was clear as day and the water flowed happily, as if no storm had ever occurred. Was this shell enchanted? Not likely. The storm had begun to subside after he left anyway.

Then I looked closely on the inside of the shell and roughly scratched in was a name, Finnick. O. I already knew his name from attendance, but seeing it, felt like I knew it for the first time. Finnick Odair. That name sounded so…strange, I'd never heard it before.

I still clutch that shell close to me now, the sharp point digging into my hand and causing it to bleed, but I can barely feel the pain. I wish Finnick was here with me. I'm tired of always having to stay here all by myself, for it's cold and it actually makes me _appreciate_ spring for once in my life. But if he were here, it would almost be the same as summer arriving and filling the air with light and warmth.

But I never saw him again after that day.

And I probably never will.

**Finnick's ship days will get interesting in the next chapter, you'll see why when I post it! :D**

**See you soon! ('.'^) **


	5. Chapter Five: Finnick: Aboard the Ship

**I hope you enjoy this chapter! ;) P.S I won't be here for 3 days due to vacation so I'm so sorry but you'll have to wait... Don't worry, I'll work hard on the trip and hopefully on late Monday or early Tuesday I'll have a double chapter update! Stay tuned! :D **

Chapter Five: Finnick: Aboard the Ship

"Now, young lad, if you want the crew to like you, you're going to have to act more like a man…"

"Um, what exactly do you mean…?" I asked a little confused.

I had an amazing physique for a lad my age, I was kind, polite and my looks were quite welcoming, what more did he want?

"You're always minding your manners; you never bother to pick fights with anyone and you utterly _refuse _to drink with us. Come on, lad, you're staying with us for months, it's best if you join in,"

"But, but, I thought that _being_ a good person in the first place was supposed to make people enjoy your company. I was never particularly mean in school and no one really hated me…"

"Well, when you're a good person among good people, that's fine, but when you're a good person among bad guys, someone's bound to get hurt…"

I nearly spit out my cup of lime water onto the table. Saliva dripped from my mouth and onto the sleeve of my shirt. I grimaced in disgust.

"Eh, boy, that's better. Come on, more spit this time!"

"Okay, _what_ are you talking about?! You're saying if I don't bother the hell out of somebody soon, they'll start _picking_ on me…? How is that even the _slightest_ bit _close_ to fair?!"

A heavy hairy arm slapped around my neck and tightened at the elbow as some of the crew laughed and jeered. I was close to vomiting the little I'd eaten and I was soon going to lose all my air in my lungs, if that man didn't let go of me.

I grabbed his arm with both my hands, first digging my nails in to his skin, then realizing it was too tough, I used all the strength in my biceps to yank that dreadful arm off. The arm slammed violently against the table and the bearer glared at me with murderous eyes. I was scared out of my pants. Here it comes, here it comes…

But a minute later, he just laughed boorishly and patted my back. Okay, maybe to him it was a pat. To me, it was the kind of slap you would give someone if they were choking.

"You're doing good, lad. Much better, I say!"

I shrunk down in my seat and glared at the smelly rum stained floor. I made a stupid fool of myself. Mother would be so disappointed.

"Eh, Weckner! You think the boy needs to man up?" One guard shouted from across the room.

"Oh, ho, ho, yeah…mmmm…yeah…"

"Hey, that's not fair! The damn captain's drunk!" I shouted indignantly.

Captain Weckner was in a sorry state, his hair completely disheveled, and fingers dirty and sticky with food, mind boggled with drink. His coat was unbuttoned, revealing a large stomach that pooled over his too tight pants, feet propped up on the table and his boots were gone, only hair feet, with cracked toe nails remaining.

I felt like I couldn't call this person a proper captain.

"Hey, _who_ you calling _drunk_, laddie?"

"Um, uh…_no one_…! Definitely not _you_, sir!" I burst out desperately.

The last thing I wanted was to get thrown off the ship from the _captain_ himself.

"I'm not drunk, my boy…even if I'm seeing stars and birdies everywhere I look…ahhhhhhh…"

I sighed. This was impossible.

Then suddenly from the corner of my eye, I caught a flash of long dark hair and memories started surging back. That girl with dark green eyes and long wavy hair. She had been wearing a sea-green dress that day, that seem to rise and fall, billow and dip just like the sea when it was in motion. She could never escape my mind. I never did see her again.

Could this be her? Could it be fate that she is on this ship as well? The chances are a million to one. She might not be her. She wasn't the only girl with long dark hair…

The girl came in, her dark hair cascading down her back, smiling sweetly at the crew as she served more drinks to them. Her eyes were a dark blue, with a startling gleam to them. Even though she was quite pretty, her eyes made me afraid.

She wore a long frilly cream dress, much dirtied, and the neckline was so low I had an almost perfect view of her large breasts. The crew seemed happy. I felt a little disgusted. It was a bit too low for my liking.

"Hey, Mary-Ann! What do you think about us?" A random crew member with a large stomach and hair growing out of his ears drawled.

She looked kindly at him, but her words were anything but kind.

"It won't happen. Never in a hundred years. Sorry, Horace,"

"What about after a hundred years, lady?" He asked, rather impatient.

"I'll be sure to kill myself after then, if I'm not dead already" She replied sweetly.

Then it all happened so quickly. A man brutally struck his elbow at my chin and I spit, coughing painfully, as my metal cup went flying in to the air and struck a lamp. The lamp burst in to pieces, exploding fire, but luckily, someone quickly washed rum over it, so it died before it caused any further damage. It ricocheted after striking against the wall behind it and hit the man sitting next to me, in the head. He was angered and in his rush, smacked his hand across the woman's behind.

She turned around in utter distraught, glaring at us. She looked like she was ready to skin someone alive and roast them for supper. She was a dangerous, fierce lady.

"Alright, who did that?" She snapped.

The man smiled a toothless grin and pointed a finger at me. Damn. Now I'm dead.

I glared at the man and was about to protest that his mind wasn't working properly because he was drunk, but it was too late. She took one look at me and grabbed my wrist, dragging me along with her. Damn. This is going to be the beating of my life. And I didn't even go home yet! Life is so unfair.

Mary-Ann walked me into a dark corridor, with only one or two lamps alive, and she threw me violently against the wall, arms suddenly propped on either side of my body, preventing escape. She smiled seductively and leaned in until her lips touched my neck.

"You know, I've been watching you, Fin…" She said her voice suddenly calm and smooth.

"Uh, y-yeah…?" I asked. Her lips moved against my collarbone and I was suddenly feeling rather uncomfortable.

Her hands moved to the collar of my shirt. I swear I was sweating bullets right now. She was a pretty woman, but I didn't want her, I didn't want her to touch me like that.

"And I realized…I want you," She said an evil edge to her voice, a mischievous grin on plastered on her face.

"Uh, y-you know, F-fin, isn't m-my real n-name…" I mumbled, desperate to change the topic.

"I couldn't care less. You're _mine_. That's all that matters,"

Her lips trailed up my neck and almost touched my mouth, and she breathed, almost laughing. I was scared out of my mind. How could I possibly get her off me now?!

"Um, Mary-Ann, you don't understand, I-I don't really-

"Stop. Shhh…Quiet, Fin. I want to _talk_ to you…"

"T-talk…uh, sure! Um, well, so how do you like the se-

Suddenly her mouth was against mine, in a hard, unrelenting passionate kiss, and I fought to push her off, but she was strangely very strong.

"Mary-Ann! Stop it! If you want me to love you than _please_ stop it!"

She pulled away, looking at me dully, dark eyes boring into mine.

"You know, I don't really care. It can be unrequited love, as long as we can be together some days…I'm a flexible woman, Fin, I'll have you know that,"

"Um, uh, of course, just not today…"

She huffed in disdain and decided to toy with my shirt another day. I breathed a sigh of relief and ran blindly back to the tiny dining room, as fast as my legs could carry me.

I could almost feel Mary-Ann gazing at me in the distance. _There will be a next time _she called. _It is rather difficult for men to escape me…_ she said, voice lower, but dying in its innocence.

Women were dangerous creatures. I drank all the remains of the bland soup in one large gulp and ran to my bunk in the squished bedrooms.

My bed stunk of rum and vomit and the sheets were too thin to keep in much warmth and it was quite dark, only one lantern in the entire room. I was happy I had the top bunk though. Men had a habit of vomiting and pissing into lower bunks. I didn't want to wake up with my clothes all wet and stinky, because, frankly, I was already wet and stinky enough.

I'm sure you can guess that I couldn't sleep that night. It's dangerous to sleep in a room full of drunk and angry men, not to mention an intensely lustful woman lurking in the shadows. I stayed awake, watching the stars out of the hole in the ceiling, fighting to keep my eye lids open.

When I _did_ almost fall asleep, I thought about the beautiful girl with long dark hair and _green _eyes. I never did see her again after fourth grade. She seemed to have disappeared.

I missed her so. After she'd left, I had to surround myself with the prettiest looking girls that I wasn't even interested in and hang around the boys so I wouldn't get made fun of. I couldn't look out the cliff without feeling lonely.

"Oh, Annie…" I whispered sadly. "…where are you…?"


	6. Chapter Six:Annie: Eyes, Heart and Mind

**Sorry for the update for being late, but here is the double chapter update that I promised! :D I hope you like it. Something unexpected happens to Fin...o.o...Enjoy! :)**

Chapter Six: Annie: Eyes, Heart and Mind

"Annie…Annie…Annie…"

His voice is soft, yet unwavering, as if he wants to tell me something, rather than just incoherently whisper my name.

"Fin…" I answered, almost crooning.

I could hear his gentle murmur, but I couldn't see his actual figure; his warm smile, his intensely green eyes, his wild bronze hair...I was overcome with uneasy suspicion, uncertain whether he was really there at all.

"Annie!" A rough, familiar voice burst from my left ear.

I woke with a start, a thin layer of sweat lining my forehead, my knotted, bumpy dress of moist seaweed clinging uncomfortably, like tentacles, to my back. I remember that voice. It wasn't Fin. It was someone else.

"Sean…?" I asked confused.

He was the man I had taken last year to Hiberna Somnium. His sad, desperate cries still seemed to echo around in my mind even though he had perished so many months from now. The last I'd seen of him was his ebbing silhouette, as his figure faded into the distance, rapidly disappearing altogether, as the wicked blizzard took him, blasts of surging snow and flying ice shards circling everywhere, until I could see nothing but blurred white against grey.

I think his remains are buried deep under the snow, for after the storm subsided, he was gone, without a trace. I was troubled on how I felt for him, since I understood that to be human, you must feel at least the slightest sympathy for someone who passed away, but I didn't really like him, because he only appeared to be hell-bent on escaping. He _did_ talk to me for a bit at first, but soon lost interest, regarding me as more of a child with wild, foolish dreams than of a friend. I disliked that kind of arrogance and found he made difficult company.

Of course, I couldn't say I loved any of the men, because they weren't Fin, but I did wish some of them would at least try to befriend me, even after they found out they couldn't win my affections. All they seemed to care about either finding escape or making me fall in love with them.

I felt disappointed for all I wanted were to have the friends that I could never find when I was a child. But none of the men seemed to understand that. I felt like they thought women only saw with their eyes, not with their minds and hearts. It frustrated me, how simple they thought we were, like we could easily and continuously fall prey to their tricks, that they could catch us and keep us like the fish in the sea.

It agitated me, how I could never seem to find someone like Fin because although it showed how wonderful his person was, what were the chances that I could find him on _Hiberna Somnium_? Not very high. I'll probably spend the rest of my life roaming the earth in search of someone I could never find.

See, when I thought about something I would ponder all night, never giving myself rest until I found a definite answer. And sometimes I never did. So, there were some nights when I would never sleep.

Something that constantly bothered me was what kind of person Finnick was, after I'd gone into the sea and never returned. He had always been an outgoing person with a good heart, so who knew what he might have done while I was gone? He may have been a completely different person and I would have no idea of knowing.

Sometimes I wondered if for the little time we'd spent together, whether he really did love me. I had always been joyful but shy when he was around, so he clearly knew I liked talking to him. But with Fin, sometimes I didn't really know. I was always too quiet and embarrassed to ask him; afraid his answer might hurt me, or destroy the innocence I believed he had. So here I am spending the rest of my life wondering about something that I'll probably never find an answer for.

It didn't help imagining answers because my eyes would argue with my heart and mind. My eyes saw that he was always smiling warmly and looking at me, but sometimes he was distant and quiet. My heart believed he could love me because I wasn't a cruel person and I loved him as well. My mind argued that even though I was very beautiful, he could easily say he didn't share my feelings, for he didn't have to like me and he could deceive me effortlessly if I loved him enough I trusted every word he spoke. So my feelings were left unsaid, jumbled together, torn and confused because, suddenly I wasn't sure what to feel.

I sat on a pile of rocks, picking the dirt and debris from under my finger nails and looked down deep into the hole in the ground, that ebbed and flowed like the waves of the sea, and that sang sweet, sorrowful music of those who died. It was the portal that connected _Hiberna Somnium _to the real world, my home; the sea. It seemed to shimmer like never before, telling me the ship was getting close.

But I felt tired, a feeling of déjà vu coming over me, telling me only the same thing would happen again. I would find a man, he would die trying to find escape, and then I'd just be stuck here for another year until this day comes again. I felt an urge to go into the portal before the ship was in view, so I could relieve my desire to feel freedom rush past my ears as I dived around the sea's waters. But there wasn't really a point. The ship would come eventually. And when it did, I'd have to go back here.

The portal sometimes showed the people in the ship, if the ship were close, but I never bothered looking because it seemed better to examine the men for myself. I would sneak inside the ship at night and watch them for a day or two and then steal one when everyone else was sleeping. I fancied the young, handsome ones, who looked like they might share the same interests as I did. But unfortunately, that never happened.

So I continued to stare wearily at the mirror-like hole, fingers reaching longingly to its water-like presence. I missed the sea so much. But not as much as I missed Fin.

But then I got an idea. I suddenly dived into the hole, before my mind could second guess my intentions. I would return to the sea for some time and then hopefully find someone, this time that could understand me.

I had lost a lot of things.

But I would not lose hope.

If I did, surely I'd be lost, forever.

**I know the description of Hiberna Somnium, the place, isn't the best. It's because I want to hear Fin describe it. Oh, Annie you better find Fin soon... JK...But seriously. Anyway, I hope you like it and keep reading! :)**


	7. Chapter Seven: Finnick: Dangerous Woman

**I never liked Mary-Ann from the moment I created her...oh, well. She's gonna make Fin's life a whole lot more interesting and its going to get really epic near the end so...I guess I'll have to live with her. The thing I dislike the most is that she resembles Annie so much it could get confusing. Poor Fin. Oh, well, enjoy! :D**

Chapter Seven: Finnick

I was awake before I opened my eyes.

There was a bitter, putrid taste in my mouth, like I had been sucking on leather and my throat felt like it was on fire.

My arms were bound tight, by some frighteningly strong contraption, the sharp metal clasps and rough ropes digging painfully into the skin on my back, which felt like it was rubbed raw.

I felt like I was suspended in air, for my feet couldn't touch the floor.

Luckily, my mouth wasn't taped shut. I wonder…is that for the trapper's personal purposes…?

My eyelids felt heavy like something was sealing them closed.

I struggled, to open my eyes, to move my arms and legs, but all was rendered useless.

I felt a finger swipe slowly across my mouth, grazing my lips. Another hand tentatively stroked my cheek, moving down to my neck. I felt a familiar feeling of fear and anxiety creep up my body.

"Oh, Fin. You are so_…fascinating_ …" A seductive female voice drawled.

Finally, my eyes slowly opened. I felt like my vision was blurred, shaking; because all I saw were distant blinks of lanterns, while everything else was almost completely dark.

The woman's frigid blue eyes seemed to glow with ice and billow and dip like the violent waters of a sea in turbulent anger. Her lips were dark red, like dripping blood and if I wasn't desperately in love with a girl that I would never see again, I wouldn't be able to resist them.

"Mary…Why am I like this…?" I asked, afraid, confused.

"I love you, Fin. I like taking the people I love so they can never escape me,"

Her voice was sweet, playful and light like a child's, but her words hit hard like riptides in a bitter winter's afternoon.

"But what if I loved someone else…?" I asked, feeling suddenly hurt if Annie saw me in such a sorry state.

"Tell me, Fin, who is the girl that you already love?"

I closed my eyes and imagined the soft swaying of her long flowing dark hair, the wild gleam of her gentle green eyes. In my dreams, she ran towards me, I had found her, and even though we'd been apart for so long, still, still she loved me.

"Annie…Annie…Annie…" I whispered, almost sobbing. I was incapable of saying any more.

She haunted me at day.

She haunted me at night.

She was everywhere.

She was nowhere at all.

I wanted her to leave me alone.

I wanted her to stay forever.

Annie…Annie…Annie…that was all my mind thought about anymore.

"I see…well then…you finally found her. My real name isn't Mary-Ann. I'm Annie, Fin. I'm Annie…"

"Annie…? Annie…?" I asked almost to myself. My vision was clouded, for the woman's eyes kept on switching from green to blue then back again, and she soon began to look more and more like Annie.

I felt my ropes loosen, the chains falling, clattering to the ground.

"Annie…Are you really Annie…?" I whispered, but it didn't matter. I was suddenly infatuated; suddenly I didn't even care anymore.

Then the entire contraption broke and I fell on my back, hitting hard onto the cold wooden floor. It was supposed to hurt, because I fell right onto the bone, but my senses were dulled and it barely felt like anything.

Suddenly Annie was crouched on top of me, smiling sweetly, arms on both sides of me, blocking escape, her knees softly touching mine. Something told me this wasn't her. But I didn't have the strength to move away. My limbs felt languish, and all I knew was my fingers ran around her neck, grabbing her lips closer to me, until she collapsed, her heat, her warmth closing around me. We closed our eyes and suddenly nothing mattered at all. I felt shivers running down my body, as my mind slowly faded away, as our kisses grew longer, heavier.

Suddenly I didn't seem to remember anything.

I don't think I even remembered who I was.

* * *

I awoke again in a dimly lighted room, lying tiredly on a surprisingly luxurious bed with covers lined in lace and pillows that were large and heavenly soft. My chest was bare and my trousers were unbuttoned. Immediately I knew something was wrong.

I turned to my side and saw a lovely woman, asleep soundly, her long soft hair framing her beautiful face with lustrously full dark lashes. She looked vaguely familiar. I had seen her somewhere.

Mary…Mary…Ann…I'm pretty sure that was her name. But, but how did she manage to get me to…_want_… her…? I only loved Annie, no one else.

I looked at the lamp lit tableside and saw under several sheets of cloth was a dark green glass bottle, empty to the bottom. I sniffed. It was heavy, dangerously thick alcohol. My eyes narrowed and my mouth curved in disgust. The wretched woman had _drugged_ me.

My mind had mostly cleared now, and so I quietly found my way out and back into my own room. Suddenly, I hated Mary, Mary-Ann. She was a horrible, disgusting person, who took people against their own will, their own self-beliefs. What kind of a woman was she…?

I fell hard onto my own bed and winced as it creaked, the hard mattress banging into my back like wooden boards. I don't even remember when she drugged me, all I saw were stars in the sky from the hole in the ceiling, and then everything else was just blurred. I didn't even know if this incident happened on the same night. I was driven mad with my desperate wishes to see Annie, even if it was just once.

On this ship, nowhere was safe. I wasn't safe at all. What kind of sick adventures would I have here? So far, I never even got to be with the sea, like I had hoped. The sea was just like background noise, just something I heard when I wasn't too distracted by something else.

I'd forgotten to realize something important, really important.

Once I got on this ship, I might never, never get back.

I might never get back home.

**Now, wasn't _that_ kind of unexpected...I know, I know, I never expected Mary-Ann to go _that_ far so quickly...oh, well, she's a tough character to like, but I promise in future chapter's it will be easier for us to like her. **

**See you guys later! ;)**


	8. Chapter Eight: Annie: A Strange Voyager

**So here is chapter eight! Annie gets rather strange in here so I apologize if it is rather OOC...I think it's because she misses Fin so much that her not-so-innocent side takes control of her. If this chapter is horrible, not hates please, but constructive criticism is fine. Enjoy!**

Chapter Eight: Annie: A strange voyager

The sea is so alive, today, the waves rushing and falling, caressing me to familiar places. I've been here so often that I know every crevice in the rocks that lead to underwater caves, every inch of the colorful coral, spanning out like miniature trees and every movement as the seaweed sway in motion like they are dancing. I feel like I've come back home, after so long.

Immediately, I think of my Father. Is he still returning home from his long, dangerous trips to sea? Is Mother still hoping with all her might that the sea won't take him? Or has she given up faith? When Father is gone, out at sea, relishing in his wild antics, battling the violent waves, what is he thinking of? _Is he thinking of me?_ When Mother is stuck at home, the rooms awash in the palest to darkest grays, all alone, her long beautiful hair fading into our home's colors, what is she thinking of? _Is she thinking of me?_

I suddenly feel sad, as I bite my lip, almost hard enough to taste the salt and rust as blood mixes with tears. It's strange how I can still cry when I'm underwater. Is my face reddened and bright when I was a child? Or is pale blue and lips deep purple? Do people look different when they cry while submerged in water? Are they ugly? Are they beautiful? Are they old? Are they young? Can they live? Will they die?

Subconsciously I'm always thinking of Father and Mother. Now that I can't see them, I get even more worried when he leaves her. I feel a sudden tug at my heart and I feel the sea grow colder when he sails out to the seas. When he's gone is Mother like me? Submerged in water, crying, unable to stop? Except, submerged in her emotions that have built up like unstable towers that may tumble and crash when she has hit her end? Will she survive without me? Can she survive without me?

I feel selfishness coming over me when I wish that they are still thinking of me. I disappeared for so many years; it would only hurt them if they still remembered. It would be better for them to forget. But I know they wouldn't. They know if they did it would make me so sad. Father and Mother loved me too much to forget me. Did they? I accidentally gasped, choking in the water and I race to the surface, coughing heavily, spitting and wheezing, sobbing harder. How could I even bring myself to _question_ that…?! What's wrong with me…? Have I grown cold with the sea?

A dark shape grows larger in the distance, but already I know it isn't the ship. It's too small. It seemed to be a long paddle boat, and the person seemed to have passed out, or died. I swam closer, curious. It was a young boy, maybe even a year or two younger than me. His sleeping face looked so innocent, his long jet black hair, messily swept in all directions, almost falling below his chin. His skin was pale like mine. His finger nails were cracked and bloody and I cringed a little when I saw blood smudged across his mouth, his lips just as cracked and bloody as his nails. I felt deep sympathy for him.

I climbed aboard, the boat rocking dangerously from side to side as I heaved on leg after the other, growling at myself for nearly capsizing it. My long skinning hands held his face. His cheeks were so warm compared to my fingertips. His eyelids were lined with such thick dark lashes; he was like a mythical creature, some beautiful boy from the sea. I felt a jump in my heart when I realized his warmth meant he was still alive. I felt so overcome with joy.

But he wouldn't be alive for long. I really did feel sorry for those dry, bloodied lips that haven't seen water for days. I found myself drawn to him, like his dying face was crying out to me to save the boy that was fighting to stay alive inside. My eyes kept straying from his eyelids to his lips, then his entire face. Such an innocent boy…The sudden dark desires, the demons inside me, were calling out to touch him, the angels were calling to just lightly caress his face in my hands. I felt tears beginning to bead. It just wasn't enough to hold his face in my hands. Would Finnick be angry if I resorted to this boy when all I thought was that I'd never find him again? I can't lament on Finnick.

My face drew closer to his, my tongue grazing his lips, wetting them, wincing slightly at the sharp taste of blood. He seemed to breathe lightly, lips moving slowly, as if wanting to reach the source of water. After I'd licked all the blood off his lips, they were surprisingly soft, irresistible. His eyelids fluttered the slightest, and then his weak fingers strung through my hair and then brought my lips closer.

"…Are you an angel…?" He whispered, his lips still moving against mine.

"…No…" I whimpered sadly.

I don't know what was wrong with my mind. I loved Finnick, but suddenly this boy, _he_ was like an angel after I had been all alone in Hiberna Somnium. I would never find Finnick again. I had to make do with what I had.

"…Are you a demon…?" His voice was so soft, so innocent that I wanted to cry.

"…No…"

"…Are you of the sea…?"

"…Yes…Yes…I am…" I said, in a tiny voice, like I wanted no one to know.

"…But you aren't evil. You are like an angel that has fallen from the sky. My angel…I knew you would save me…"

I could feel his sad smile against my mouth and I couldn't help the tears that wouldn't stop. This boy was so kind, so innocent. Why did I have to kiss him? Why did I have to drink up his innocence?

I pulled away. His eyes shocked me, for they were identical to mine. I might as well have been kissing my own brother. I felt a sudden blush run over me, if we did share relations.

I felt sudden hatred in myself. I shouldn't be blushing if we were relations. I should be blushing that he was the first person I'd kissed out of love, no, I'd only _thought_ it was sympathy, but no, I really did unexpectedly get lost in his eyes. It was supposed to be Finnick. What was wrong with me? I was going insane.

"Are you okay? You're crying, you're crying tears of blood,"

I suddenly felt self-conscious; his blood must have smudged onto my face. But then, I didn't really care. Maybe I could be with him for now, before I go to _Hiberna Somnium _to take another man with me.

"I-it's nothing. I'm fine,"

His fingers, so light and gentle under my chin, made me look down. He wasn't Fin, but what if, I never found him anyway? The look in his eyes were so calm, yet sad, like he knew how much I missed him, how much I wanted to see Fin after I had been lost in sea. Maybe I can pretend that he is Fin. But isn't that cruel…?

"I'm Farren. I had been aboard a ship when I unexpectedly got thrown out. It was such a large, majestic ship, with lovely billowing sails that seemed to call to the sea. It was-

"-_Hiberna Somnium_..." I whispered, knowing it exactly.

"H-how do you know?"

"I know that ship. It would come every year to take me and I would take one of the sailors-

Suddenly the boy was crawling backwards, away from me, fear in his eyes.

"W-what is your name…?" He asked, shaking.

"Annie…" I said, confused.

"A-Annie…w-why is there blood everywhere…? I-it's coming out of, y-you, y-your eyes…Please stop…if you're a demon…p-please go away…"

My fingers flew to my face and I shivered when I felt my face was wet, with the familiar stench of rust and salt. Blood was pooling all around me and when I looked into the water, it was like the blood from inside of my body was pouring out from my eyes. It was a gruesome sight to behold.

"P-please go away…Y-you're n-not my angel…" He whispered, tears streaming down his innocent face.

I felt real tears in my eyes as I dived out of the boat and back into the water. I stopped bleeding. The blood in the boat disappeared. I had to be on _Hiberna Somnium_, or the seaor I would bleed to death. It must be part of the curse. My head felt faint because of the sudden loss of liquid and I swooned, floating like a corpse on the surface of the sea.

Farren seemed to feel sympathy for me and just before my eyes lids closed, I felt him tie the end of a rope onto one of my wrists as he took both oars of the boat and began taking us somewhere…just somewhere…

More than ever I hoped we would reach _Hiberna Somnium_ soon.

Farren was a good boy, an innocent one.

He didn't need me.

I remembered Fin's words about what people truly want.

I don't truly want Farren.

I want Finnick.

There was nothing wrong with hoping he just might be on _Hiberna Somnium_.

**I'm not really sure whether this chapter was that good, but I hope you liked it. For some reason I really think that I made Annie look like a bad person, but I guess everyone has a bad side... I'll be sure to bring out the good side in Annie soon! **


	9. Chapter Nine:Finnick: Mary Ann Opens Up

**A/N: Hi, everyone. I apologize for not updating in such a long time, I had been busy with school work and such...I'm at my last year at secondary school, woo-hoo! I'm getting really nervous for high school, but for now, the work load doesn't seem too bad. Enjoy!**

Chapter Nine: Finnick: Mary Ann Opens Up

I think I may be finally getting used to the ship's dirty, drunken ways. I've grown to trust my own instinct when the crew becomes tipsy along with the so-called _captain_, and I take flight to the farthest cabin I can find, so as not to get a bad influence by them, while warily checking the corridors for any sign of that dangerous woman by the name of Mary Ann. Most of the time it's clear, but in others, I barely escape from being severely molested.

I've practised fencing for a very long time now, but for some reason the thin sword gives almost no power from my strong thrusts and blows, so I've grown quite sick of always being narrowly beat by that tall man with the monstrous moustache, of which his name I either didn't bother to catch, or have simply forgotten. What I do remember, though, is his growing abundance of gold teeth, do to his habit of chipping teeth when he's jollily drunk. I wonder, what would his voice sound like after all of them have been replaced? Would he sound close to my younger brother's metal contraption Father bought him for Christmas last year, perhaps?

Standing at the ship's bow, the wind is salty, but full of life, its strong gusts making my wild bronze hair stream in all directions. It was difficult to keep my eyes open, so I fought to do so, all the while spreading my arms out, imagining I was embracing the sea. The wind was really crazy today, making my loose cotton shirt flap noisily, so I pretended that noise was the sound of fish's fins as they glided like birds in the water.

Now, I must tell you, I spent most of the day trying to avoid Mary Ann, but somehow, she always found me. It was like there was an invisible thread, like a line of spider's web connecting out wrists together and somehow she always used it to her advantage, while I had no idea it was actually there.

And now, there she was, waiting quietly on the left side of the ship's bow, humming a mysterious tune, while I quietly inched closer and closer to the right. I felt a bit distracted, now, because the more I thought about it, if she wasn't so lustful, I might actually be able to grow to like her. The wind that weaved through her long dark waves, reminded me of Annie's hair, and although her eyes weren't green like the darker depths of the sea, they were blue and pure like the skies above us.

She caught me looking and I'd thought she would wink and wave seductively with her finger tips, but she just turned to me slightly, giving me a curt nod and a tired smile. It seemed like she'd given up on making me love her, after the several times I refused in becoming intimate with her. It was still rather early in the morning though the skies were clear, and she yawned quietly, looking out into the horizon, like Annie had always done.

"Do you enjoy being on this ship, Fin?" She asked suddenly, turning to me, with a plain look on her face, revealing no true emotion other than some interest for my thoughts.

"Well, if I'm giving you my humble opinion, it's definitely not exactly what I imagined…" I chuckled, smiling at her politely.

"What is it that you imagined? A grand, lovely ship, full of jolly and non-drunk crew members with a respectable captain? A young lad's dreams are so far-fetched and hopeful. But still, I envy them. I never have such wonderful dreams…"

"Well, maybe not _that_ grand, but I definitely hoped it would be more interesting than this. I just practise fencing, drink watery soup, with occasionally some fish bones or skin and the rest of the time I help around with keeping the ship from rotting and falling apart, all the while looking down to the sea below me…"

"Is it not what you wanted? Are you unhappy?"

"No, not exactly unhappy, I'm just a little disappointed. I thought that if I could spend my entire life with the sea, I would be happy, but I discovered I was wrong. The girl I mentioned to you when I was drunk, is the one I truly love and without her, no matter how many days I spend with the sea, it wouldn't compare with only one day spent with her,"

She gazed at me, maybe slightly with pity, but mostly just serious thoughts.

"Love is a fickle thing, Fin. When you're in love you believe that there is no such thing as unhappiness. When your heart gets broken you believe that there is no such thing as happiness. Your first love is the hardest to forget, but later you will realize there are others in the world. The "other" is clearly not I, considering how you even refuse to be my friend. I don't understand why I am always so unlovable; it's almost like a curse…"

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. Mary-Ann's beauty could attract many suitors, and certainly she was not stupid, so her looks weren't everything either. What could make her so difficult to love?

"I've fallen in and out of love several times in my life, Fin, and it's like a cycle, a circle that goes on forever. When I'm desperately in love, I feel on top of the world like nothing can go wrong, and when the man breaks my heart, I begin to regret ever loving him in the first place-

"Can't you stop this cycle, Mary-

She continued on, ignoring my question.

"-I'm a stupid woman, carelessly giving my heart out to anyone I fancy if they want it. You have actually been the kindest to me, Fin, by honestly and sincerely refusing, unlike the others who pretend to love me, to take advantage of me and then tear me to pieces,"

"What are you trying to tell me, Mary-Ann?"

She sighed and looked at me with grave eyes.

"Do you truly love Annie, Fin? Because if you don't, then stop blindly pursuing her and find someone else. But if you truly love her, don't break her heart by realizing one day you love someone else. Please. Don't let her end up like me,"

And after she uttered her last sentence, tears began to fall from her eyes and so she covered them with her hands, her long fingers trying hard to hide her crying face. Though she tried to sob as quietly as possible, I still heard the irregular breathing and went over to comfort her.

I protected her frail body in my arms, whispering soothing words in her ear, one hand gently stroking her long dark hair. She took her hands off her face and slid them around my back, and simply hugged me tightly, so I didn't tense at her touch, rather it felt nice to feel true sympathy for someone, who really needed it.

"I really did love him, Fin…I really did…" She whispered, her head leant gently on my shoulder, her salt tears soaking into my shirt.

"I know you did. Just as much as I love Annie," I whispered back.

The next morning, Mary-Ann stood in the same place, gazing out into the horizon again, but this time, her eyes seemed lighter, gentler, like an enormous weight had been lifted from her chest. She seemed to look out with fresh eyes and a clear mind.

She turned to me and smiled, just a joyous grin, her blue eyes twinkling in the sun's rays.

"I dreamed last night, Fin. I was so happy,"

* * *

**Annie is finally going into the ship next chapter! And a bit later, we will all see what Hiberna Somnium is truly like. Bye!**


	10. Chapter Ten: Annie:On the Ship Once More

**A/N: It's surprising; I actually have less school work in Grade 8 (this year) than in Grade 7, so I can update more often. Anyways, have fun reading, though this one is a bit shorter than the others. I'm currently working on finishing this story and Chronowing, so I can figure out what to do with my newer stories. Wish me luck! **

* * *

Chapter Ten: Annie: On the Ship Once More

I slowly open my eyes, blinking several times before I get used to the flickering lights around me. They seemed to twinkle, like the stars in the sky, but they were much larger, and now that I noticed it, they weren't twinkling, but lurching dangerously from side to side, like a stray boat prone to capsizing. They were lanterns; the twinkling I'd seen was probably the flames twitching and quivering behind the thin glass.

I was inside the _Hiberna Somnium_ once more, and nostalgia came over me like a thick, sweltering fog, reminding me again what business I had to do here. I was in what you could call a ship's "basement", the lower deck, of which you'd enter from a trap door.

It was rather frightening here, the muted, saturated gold light of the oil lamps casting deep shadows in odd areas in the room, that looked disturbing like figures, until I realized the light was only casting my _own_ shadows. I had such an infuriating imagination; sometimes it was rather irritating.

I walked, my steps uneven and staggering, as the ship swayed from left to right, while my arm reached for the wooden wall, as I steadied myself and climbed quietly up the stairs to find the cabins the sailors slept in.

The corridor was even darker and more contrast between the light and blackness, which made my lips tremble uncontrollably, because the dark still frightened me at times. I felt I could see a woman's face hiding in the shadows, and I willed myself to believe I was probably hallucinating and seeing myself, for she did look a lot like me. I walked on, still feeling the walls, breathing silently as I could, peering into the dark rooms and seeing if any men caught my fancy. Sadly, they were all quite unsightly and dirty, and I felt a disappointment growing inside of me as I realized this may just end up like old times, where I find out once again that no one could ever truly love me.

Then my eyebrows perked up, eyes brightening when I saw a young man in the farthest cabin, sleeping soundly, but from his breathing and constant tossing and turning, he seemed to be unhappy and rather frustrated. He was very dirty; the palms of his hands and his hair were black and grimy and a tad bit smelly. But other than that he appeared healthy; strong muscular arms and chest, a handsome face and legs which were probably built from several years of swimming in the sea.

My fingers lightly grazed his face; his skin was strangely soft, though his hands might have been a bit rough. He had a thick layer of brown lashes, high cheekbones and full lips. The young man reminded me of those supermodels that were shown on large screens when my mother and I would occasionally travel to the city, where people would dress in unusual and absurdly bright colors and were a ship load of makeup. Except, this man didn't need makeup or surgery, he was one of the rare natural beauties.

Now, my arms weren't too bad either, sure they were maybe a bit thin from lack of food, but from some years of having to carry full grown men from the ship, and then taking them all the way to, yes, you guessed it, Hiberna Somnium, so they weren't completely useless.

I took the man in my arms, eyes widening at his surprisingly light weight and hulled him downstairs, trying my best to ignore the little noises as his feet dragged against the floor, and then tossed him roughly out the broken window, as I bit my lip at my unintended harshness and quickly dived to follow.

He was still asleep, which was hard to believe; they'd usually wake up, screaming and shouting which would result in me having to knock them out, much to my regret. I sighed and shook my head. Grown men could be such babies.

I put one arm around his waist; for grip and I used the other to navigate, and though it was dark in the sea at night, it was the best time to take them there, because then no one would notice. I dived deeper, finding the cave and swam right into it, feeling uncomfortable at the temporary darkness, but of which slowly disappeared, revealing a growing light as the water evaporated, giving way to a deep hole, and I did my best to stay quiet, shutting my eyes as my hair billowed from above me, as we fell, faster and faster, my hand squeezing his, so tightly my knuckles grew white.

Then suddenly we stopped falling, and simply floated, as we softly reached the ground of one of Hiberna Somnium's old caves. I placed him gently on the cold, hard ground, on his back, and I lay beside him, looking up at the gaping hole at the arced ceiling of the cave, that revealed a clear sky with an abundance of beautiful stars.

I fell asleep to the soft sound of his breathing, as I tried to match it, so we could breathe in unison.

I never did let go of his hand.

* * *

**Fin's point of view in the next chapter isn't going to be immediately in the present; it's going to go a bit into before Annie "took" him, because I forgot to add some things in the chapter before, of which I am now too lazy to change, so I will just make it work for the next chapter. See you guys soon! **


	11. Chapter Eleven: Finnick: Snow

**So here we are, at Hiberna Somnium. Sorry if this chapter is a little indescriptive; I was in a really tired state so this probably isn't one of the best chapters. Enjoy.**

Chapter Eleven: Finnick: Snow

When I'd first met her, Mary Ann seemed like a rogue, dangerous woman that didn't seem to understand that I didn't have feelings for her. She was fearless, with strange beauty like the woman in the sea that sat upon rocks, beckoning for sailors to come to them. Her blue eyes were cold and hard but they had a certain glint to them, like a fire burned deep beneath.

Now, she was a mellow, quiet person, who listened to my endless rants about Annie and who always smiled when I talked about the happy memories I had of her, and cried with me when I finished near the end. I was beginning to see a light in her eyes I'd never seen before, not of fire, but of the sun's rays. Now, she just looked out, standing at the ship's bow, with distant eyes, sighing with longing.

"I wish I could find someone like you. Coming across good men is quite hard, in these days…"

"Don't worry yourself too much. It will all come in time," I answered hopefully, maybe a little too hopefully.

"You know, I'm really trying my best not to fall for you but, really, it is so difficult. Sometimes I forget you love someone else…"

A dark gaze settled in my eyes and she chortled looking at me, shaking her head. Her wavy black hair swayed in the wind, her eyes glowing. It reminded me so much of Annie, I felt almost sick with longing.

"I'll never forget that you love Annie. It's something that will remain with me forever, because you do love her forever, don't you. Well, when you do find her, forget about me. Pretend I never stepped into your life,"

She didn't say it with sadness or even a hint of spite. Mary Ann had spoken with a wise voice, a voice of reason, forgiveness, with a smile on her face. Then she turned and left, leaving me unable to answer her request.

That night I tried wondered, trying to think about why she had told me to forget about her, but my dreams overcame me and I was taken to a white world, where I forgot everything and anything while falling snow filled the open air.

* * *

When I awoke, I was in a peculiar place, where a woman was staring with dark green eyes, looking at me anxiously. I was inside a cave, lying against the cold, hard, uneven ground, gazing up at the hole in the ceiling that revealed a cerulean sky with passing clouds that rained tiny snowflakes down onto my face. The snow felt startlingly cold, yet tasted sweet when one settled softly on my tongue.

I slowly got up, peering around, looking curiously at the woman who seemed to look so familiar, yet my memory was fuzzy and I couldn't seem to remember anything. All I knew was that she was somebody.

When I stood at my feet, I shook my head, yawning, running a hand through my messy bronze hair, trying to get the snow out. It had melted and now my hair was a little damp and cold. The woman stood close by, watching me carefully, and remaining silent.

"Who are you?" I asked, confused.

"I'm Annie. Don't you remember?" She asked, suddenly hurt.

I felt immediately apologetic when her eyes seemed to dim in their glow and I quickly told her she looked familiar, and that I might remember her in a few days. She felt better and took my hand, hers was bitterly cold, but I didn't grimace because her eyes were kind.

Annie lead me outside the cave, where I stood in awe, lost in the wonders of a winter world, where snow covered everything around me and leafless trees were strung with glittering icicles and gray mountains circled us, their peaks going into the clouds. A mysterious song followed the wind that rustled the bare branches.

"It's beautiful," I whispered, unable to believe my eyes.

I had never seen a winter so white before, all I had seen in my days was the sea, always seeming to be in different shades of blue and gray. Annie seemed unsurprised, more fascinated by my eyes, than the blinding light of snow around us.

"Is it really that beautiful? I've seen snow so many times before,"

"I've never seen so much snow in my life. How did it all get here?"

"Who knows? Would you like me to show you around? It's usually quite stormy and rough in this time of year, but I guess this month it's not so bad,"

"Sure, this place is quite interesting,"

We traveled through forests rigid with ice and snow, lakes gleaming, frozen and at last we scaled to the top of a tall, frigid mountain. It was agonising climbing up; the tips of my fingers were turning blue and my hands felt rough and frozen, my teeth chattering, while she seemed to be cold, struggling but uncomplaining, never letting go of my wrist and always urging me to keep going. My hair was stiff with ice and so was hers, the snow settling slowly, clearly seen on her ebony hair.

Her green eyes had a child's fascination with a woman's wisdom and the way she looked at the clouds, and the sky behind it, was like a blind man finally finding his sight.

"I like being up high. I've always wanted to see the world for myself, not having any limits at all,"

"It sure is chilly up here," I whispered through my teeth, my breath coming out as a puffy cloud, arms wrapped tightly around myself.

"It's alright. You won't freeze to death as long as we stay together," She said, not completely seeming to trust her own words.

I smiled at her reassuringly, nodding, and her hand seemed to grow slightly warmer.

The clouds parted away, revealing a clear blue sky, the wind blowing mournfully, like the cry of a child. I seemed deaf to the sadness, just completely blown away by how crisp and clean the sky could be. Even the sea had never had such a pure color.

"Do you want to leave? It's alright if you want to," She spoke, quietly.

"No. It's cold, but the sky has never been so blue. Where I had lived it was nowhere near as nice as this,"

She grinned and we watched the sky together, for quite a while before going back down again. Now, if I thought going up was hard, going down was even more of a hassle, for the mountain had been quite steep, so it took a lot of effort, not to slip and fall from the edge. When we'd got down, I squeezed her hand hard, relieved that we were still alive.

We returned to the cave, where she built a small fire and my fingers and toes thanked me that they were finally beginning to thaw. The frostbite hurt a bit, but I bit my lip and bore through it, all the while, still confused on how I got here.

"Where are we?" I wondered aloud.

"We're in Hiberna Somnium," She says, softly.

Ha. Now why did that name feel so familiar?

* * *

It's late in the evening, and surprisingly the fire is still going, giving off a warm glow on Annie's face. Her eyes were muted green, her lips pale, but really, she was quite beautiful, especially when she blushed when she caught me staring at her for a long time. The way her hair framed her face, long flowing black waves, it was almost like water, swaying with the slight breeze in the cold air. It was hard to hide the fact I had feelings for her, but because she might not return them, I felt reluctant to tell her.

"Why are you so interested in this place?" She asked, suddenly.

I shrugged, muttering something about it being that I'd never been here before.

"Well, I'm sure glad you like it, because we're trapped here, until you find a way out…" She immediately seemed to regret what she had said, thinking it would upset me.

I drew closer to her, my fingers softly grazing her cheek, and then stopping near her mouth, tracing the line of her lips. Her cheeks reddened with color as she tried to turn away, but my hand slid to her chin, keeping her face put.

"Are you afraid of me…? Why are you always so quiet when I'm close?"

Her lips quivered, eyes averting to the ground, muttering quickly that she didn't know, and then I shrugged, my hand dropping from her chin, gently moving down to hold onto her sweaty hand. She didn't writhe in my grasp and I was glad for it, for her hand was much warmer than mine now and I suddenly didn't feel so cold.

Annie yawned, gazing up at the dark sky filled with stars and smiled, her head distractedly leaning onto my shoulder. Her hair tickled my neck and she immediately froze and straightened up when she sensed my slightest movement, smiling apologetically and quickly lying on the cold, hard ground, still never leaving her eyes from the night sky.

My fingers absently ran through her dark hair, twirling some strands and she wrinkled her brow, turning so that her back was facing me. I was confused on whether she seemed to like me or not, so I just gave up, lying down onto the cave ground falling asleep under the stars.

**I had wanted to write a bit more, but I couldn't think of anything. My imagination feels a bit drained today. Better luck tomorrow. See ya. **

**(-.-) zzz...**


	12. Chapter Twelve: Annie: Warmth

**Wow, I haven't updated in a while. Eh, I didn't know how to continue until now, so you're going to have to forgive me...I'm the type of person to update randomly, sometimes daily, usually irregularly. I hope this chapter is better than the one before...Happy reading. :) **

Chapter Twelve: Annie: Warmth

"Annie…Your eyes…they're so beautiful, like the sea when the summer winds skim its lively green waters," His voice whispered, his intense green eyes sparkling in the sun's white light.

"Fin, you finally remember me…I've missed you so much. I've been waiting for so long…" I breathed, eyes glistening with tears.

"Annie…" Fin murmured again, his fingers gently smoothing strands of my hair, tucking them behind my ear. I felt a tightening in my chest and I exhaled sharply, realizing I'd forgotten to breathe.

His face drew closer and I closed my eyes as I felt his hair softly tickling my jaw, making my lips quiver, eyes lids flutter.

But then suddenly it felt cold, with dead air and my mouth parted slightly in confusion, my fingers trying to find his.

I opened my eyes and he was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

I awake with tears still fresh, embedded in my dark lashes. My lips are trembling, as I sob quietly, breathing uneven and harsh. Why…? Why did Fin forget me…? After I had searched for so long, for all my efforts to end in dust and ashes?

My fingers wipe at my eyes, drying my tears as I slowly get up and peer around me.

There was Finnick, lying on his back, facing me, a man turned into an innocent sleeping boy. His soft bronze curls were messy and slightly damp from the snowflakes having fallen from the opening in the cave's ceiling. One hand was placed softly on his heart and the other lay palm up on the ground. If I didn't notice the gentle heaving of his chest, I might have thought he was dead. He slept so soundly, so peacefully. I wished I had as pleasant dreams as he did.

I stood on my knees, and crawled closer, one of my hands softly running through his hair, smoothing his forehead. I felt him shiver slightly from the cold of my hand, and I hesitated, unsure if I should caress his face with my cold hands. Instead I planted a soft kiss on the tip of his nose, which was red from the cold and then pulled away.

"I love you, Fin," I whispered, knowing he couldn't hear me.

Then I wandered out of the cave, as tears began to form in my eyes again.

* * *

The snow was cold, but soft beneath my feet, and although it felt like a hundred knives were being stabbed into them, my heart was light, my dark green eyes gazing into the blue sky. I felt like I could fly, sailing through the clouds, embracing the air like seabirds aloft in the summer skies. At the same time, I felt like the cold could cripple and grasp me tightly enough for me to die.

I collapsed into the snow, my body not even writhing in pain as the snow soaked through my messily knotted seaweed dress. My snow white limbs spread wide as I pretended I was angel, with beautiful feathery wings. The dark waves of my hair protected me somewhat from freezing to death, but already I felt my body failing. It was too cold. The snow was too deep. I was too weak.

A soft smile curled in my lips as I whispered good-bye to the sky, to the world, to Fin. I closed my eyes again, as I thought I would for the last time.

A swirl of snow whirled around me, my hands open to catch the flakes and I felt my mind darkened and my heart beat slow. Maybe this was good-bye. Maybe this was the end.

* * *

I felt warmth, in the thick darkness. It reminded me of the flickering flames of a toasty fire. Suddenly the darkness wasn't so dark. I felt a dot of light stand out, as more lights spread out, each with an individual sparkle. My hand tried to reach out to them, but they wouldn't move; they were frozen in place.

I felt something wet trickling from the darkness and spattering softly onto my face. A drop hit my lip and my tongue tasted it, wincing at the salty taste of sea water. Was I suddenly in the sea again? Has the sea risen above me?

Slowly, I begin to see something more, green, sea green everywhere, flashing back and forth like blurred lights. Soft bits of bronze fell in place as well and a reddening darkness surrounded these lights. Slowly, but surely, my sight began to clear.

A man with sea green eyes and bronze hair was watching me, tears streaming from his eyes. When he saw that I awoke, he wrenched me up in his arms, hugging me tightly, never wanting to let go.

"Annie! When you disappeared this morning I was so afraid, so confused. Do you know how many hours I spent looking for you, just to find you lying half-dead in the snow?! Never do that again! I had almost given up on you!" He whispered, his cheek against my hair.

My arms were still too weak to return his hug, but I smiled softly.

"Did you really spend the entire day looking for me? I was so sure I would die,"

"If you did, then I don't know what I would do. I felt lost, lost in darkness when you weren't here,"

"I missed you, Fin," I whispered, ignoring what he had said before.

He sighed, seeming disappointed that his words didn't reach my ears.

"I missed you too, Annie," His voice light, but truthful.

Finnick's fingers softly mussed my hair, and the salty scent of his tears filled my nostrils. Maybe he didn't love me, but at least he had missed me. I was a selfish, horrid girl to have tested if he really did love me and now, I wasn't even sure. I didn't want to ask him. I was afraid the answer would kill me.

"Fin…?" I asked, suddenly willing myself to be brave, to fight the tears that would soon spring from my eyes after I heard his answer.

"Yes, Annie?" He replied, suddenly letting go of me, placing both his hands on my shoulders and gazing seriously into my eyes.

"Do…Do you love…Do you…love me…?" The words barely escaping my trembling lips, almost choked by the feelings compressed in my throat.

Finnick paused, a concerned look settling on his face as he breathed heavily, looking confused.

"We've only just met, Annie-

"_Do_ you love me?! Answer me…! Answer me, Fin…!" I screamed, my hands suddenly holding his face, not letting him look away from me.

"I-

"Think back, Fin! Think back to when we were children! When I was eleven years old and watching you tie knots of kelp, while peering with longing at the sea, at the horizon! Don't you remember?! Can you remember…?" I whispered, my voice growing quieter with every word.

My fingers seemed to loosen slightly from their grip, but I fought to hold firm, never leaving my eyes from his. I needed an answer. I needed him to answer me or I might attempt to die again.

He bit his lip, looking at me apologetically, eyes suddenly averting to the ground.

"You know, Annie, I don't believe love is made from memories of the past. If love was made from such weak moments that could be forgotten how could it become so strong?"

Before I could interject, he continued.

"-I think love is made from the hope, the strength and the belief that with every dark night there will be a brighter day. I can't remember anything, but I don't need those memories, like little pieces of ripped paper to know that I love you. I don't love you for who you _were_. I love you for who you are _now_. I may not need the past, or survive the future, but I need the present. And I need you,"

His hands were suddenly softly placed against my face as well and we tilted our heads slightly, and closed the distance between us in a breath. My fingers clinging to the collar of his shirt, his strung in my hair, we seemed to be suspended in air, in the heavens, far, far above the sea.

I had closed my eyes and darkness curled around me, but for once, it didn't feel cold, rather the opposite. I felt warm, like it was summer in the middle of winter, something that could never happen. It felt nice; to finally find Fin, finally find that he loved me as well.

I pulled away and looked out the entrance of the cave, eyes widening in confusion.

"What is it, Annie?"

I took his hand and we both walked out, looking wondrously at the sight around us.

It was still white with snow, but there was something different.

"Oh, look, Annie," Fin said, pointing at the ground.

"It's the first grass of spring,"

* * *

**Was that a little fast...? I didn't intend to make Finnick confess that he loved her so early...it kind of ruined the moment, but I don't know how else to write this chapter because he has to tell her eventually, right? Well, I hope you liked that chapter and keep reading! See ya later!**


	13. Chapter Thirteen:Finnick: Deceitful Acts

**It's really been a while since I last updated. Again, I apologize, but sometimes I just get writer's block you know...and a big load of homework :P Anyways, this is finally the update. Bye. And Hurricane Sandy is FREAKING ME OUT! See ya later!**

Chapter Thirteen: Finnick: Deceitful Actions

Could it be possible to love someone so much you would go mad?

Believe it or not, I'm not asking that on my case, but it did seem Annie's condition was quite severe.

After I awoke from my strange dreams of sailing through rough seas, the waves crashing while the wind whispered queer words into my ear, something felt wrong.

I felt the ground, eyes narrowing at its sudden cold surface, where Annie's warmth had been.

She was gone.

I'd searched everywhere I thought she might be, growing more anxious by the minute when she was nowhere to be found.

I remember almost sighing in relief, and choking with shock at the same time when I found her, lying peacefully, still, on the snow.

I thought she was dead.

Then I remember picking her up, slowly, her snow tangled hair, stiff in ice against my chest, as I trudged, tears frozen in my eyes from the cold. For the moment, suddenly I didn't care that I was unfamiliar on who this girl was. I felt like I knew her, but she seemed far away at the same time. All I knew was that I had to get us back into the cave before the storm grew worse, telling myself over and over again she could still be alive.

When I found her, her heartbeat was faint, but still existent. As I headed towards the cave, half blind, either the winds shrieked too furiously for me to hear, or I truly felt a moment where Annie's heart stopped.

I'd laid her down on the rough ground, quickly striking rocks together to make sparks, to create a fire. I knew the traditional method was to rid the person of clothes and hug them tight with your own heat but I was afraid to touch her in that way, scared it might make her worse.

So there I sat, knelt close to the fire, silent tears rolling down my cheeks, as I'd finally given up hope that she would ever awaken again.

Several hours past. My eyes got a gray, distant look as I stared dimly into the flames of the fire, pleading that its warmth would be enough to revive her. I knew deep in my heart it couldn't, but if I could just get a grip and think of one thing that might give me hope, I might be able to survive the night. I recast my glance to the large gaping hole in the roof of the cave, gazing at the stars, knowing that Annie would soon be there early next morning.

Maybe I was going mad from anxiety but I felt an abrupt brush of skin.

I turned, and blinked, thinking it was a mirage. Annie had moved slightly, towards me, and I felt that I could see her lips parting faintly, trying to breathe in air.

Tears fell from my eyes and I thought I could see her eyelids lift, fluttering like a bird's wings. Her fingers slowly curled inwards, then straightened themselves out as she slowly got up.

In a sudden mixture of pent up emotion, I drawled a long phrase of worry that she didn't appear to understand.

I kept on repeating how much I missed her, until I felt I'd convince her I loved her.

I wasn't a liar, I did not fancy deceiving people, but in the rush of events I think I really exaggerated how I felt towards her. I can't love someone I don't even remember. Is that possible?

I felt that if I convinced her than I could convince myself. But who am I trying to convince, really?

Maybe it was just because I was afraid she would try to attempt to die, again, unless she knew I had feelings for her. I was truly unsure for her sanity, so it felt like the only thing I could do was falsely claim I had undying love for her.

But the worst thing is, now I really think she believes me.

And if she ever found out otherwise, she might never love again.

"Oh, look, Fin! I think I see birds flying above us! Their songs are so lovely! I've missed them so much. My mother used to sing too, she had the most beautiful voice in the world,"

She looked longingly into my eyes, expecting me to reply, to comment about it.

"I'm sure I would have loved to hear her sing!" I said quickly, afraid that if I paused too long I might betray my innocence.

Her eyes roamed across my face, searching for something, something hidden. Sweat beaded at my forehead, my palms growing cold with unease. Then I let out a sigh of relief when she turned away from me, dancing along the wet, melting snow, like a child at a carnival, seeing the ride for the first time.

Suddenly I felt like a father, trying to control her wild spirit, keeping her from causing any trouble. It was a strange feeling.

As she laughed in the distance, eyes constantly gazing at the sky, I looked up as well, sighing again, not in relief, but regret.

How could I deceive an innocent young woman, so easily, without feeling any heaviness in my heart? Was I human for behaving like this? What have I become?

_Oh, Lord, if you do exist, please do help me…_ I thought, praying that he would keep my deceit a secret from Annie. She doesn't need to know that I didn't truly love her. It's a pity for someone to die so young, not to mention, by taking her own life.

My mother, being a Christian, had told me one of the first things that she learned after believing in God was that suicidal people never went to Heaven. They would join the Satan, she told me, her eyes dark. I didn't believe her then and I certainly don't believe her now, but it would be too much of a risk to chance that. Annie didn't deserve to go somewhere so dark and evil.

Then again, she didn't deserve to be around someone as horridly deceitful as I was either. I once thought I was a lad who could tell no lies. I guess I was wrong.

Annie was running back to me when she saw my sorry expression and quickly wrapped her arms around my neck, hugging me not too tightly but firmly, with love and warmth. Love and warmth that I didn't deserve.

"What's wrong, Fin? Oh, you must be cold to the tip of your nose! I'm so sorry to have gotten you shivering from my prancing about. We should head back,"

"No, it's alright. It's good for me to feel the cold out here, otherwise I may grow weak, being used to the warmth of fires in caves and luxuries like that,"

She looked at me, unconvinced, shaking her head. I tensed.

"Silly Fin! Being warm is not a luxury, it's a must! If you're too cold you will die, I've heard of it happening before!"

She took my hand and whirled me around, pulling me back to our cave.

Annie isn't a bad person. Maybe I could learn to love her, even if I don't quite remember who she is.

But a small part of me was still rather unsure.


End file.
